


Homecoming

by LordPhantomhive



Category: Free!
Genre: Fluff, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Merman Nanase Haruka, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-23
Updated: 2017-04-23
Packaged: 2018-10-23 05:39:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10713324
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LordPhantomhive/pseuds/LordPhantomhive
Summary: RinHaru week 2017 day twoPrompt: WaterRin is on work experience at the aquarium when he discovers Haru, a merman longing to return home to the ocean. But will he help him achieve his dream?





	Homecoming

Rin walked around the aquarium where he would start work experience soon, Samezuka had suggested he check out the place before he started. Rin watched the dolphins and sharks be fed and by the end of the day, they ended up at the mermaid show, a new attraction at the aquarium. Ningyo as they called the creature, swan and did tricks for the excitable crowd. Rin watched transfixed by the dark haired male who swam so beautifully before him. The show ended and Rin still sat there watching the merman in the tank.

He watched everyone walk away.

Rin went down to the tank wanting to get a closer look at the creature, he’d never seen a real life merman before. He placed his hands against it looking in. Suddenly the merman’s face appeared before him, Rin jumped back clutching his heart. Ningyo’s sudden appearance scared him. 

The magenta hair boy moved closer again and waved, the merman imitated him. Rin walked away and the merman followed him. Rin stopped.

The merman wrote two words on the glass with his pale blue nails. ‘Help me’

“Help you?” Rin said.

The merman hit the glass “Help me.” He said. the voice reverberated in Rin’s head, it was like it was talking to only him.

“How?” Rin asked. wait, what was he doing? This had to be fake! Some cruel trick. Rin kicked the ground and went to walk away.

“PLEASE!” the merman begged.

Rin turned back, he’d play along for now. “What even is your name?” he asked.

“Ningyo, they call me Ningyo. I don’t like it.”

“What would you rather be called?” Rin thought.

“Haruka, but I prefer Haru. It’s the name my parents gave me.”

“Where are they? You parents?” Rin asked.

Haruka projected an image of the ocean, suddenly the image became dark and Rin saw as fisherman caught Haru in a net and sold him to the aquarium. The image stopped and Haru swan away from Rin. 

Rin put a hand against the tank. “I want to help!” he said.

Haru placed a hand against Rin’s and looked at his face, so much like a shark. Rin looked at the pale luminescent skin of Haru and looked into his sapphire eyes.

“What do I need to do Haru?” 

Haru protected the image of him walking with Rin out of the aquarium and across a beach. 

“You can walk?” Rin asked.

“For only a short amount of time,” came the ghostly reply in his head.

“I’ll get you out of here, I promise you.” Rin said.

“Thank you . . .”

Rin left the mermaid thinking of how to save him. it wouldn’t be easy, but he thought of a way that he could.

. . . . . . 

Two weeks later Rin Matsuoka was doing work experience at the aquarium, working specifically with the mermaid as he had expressed interest in mer-biology as a future field of work. This of course was all lies, but he had to get close to Haru somehow.

A week into his work experience Haru was growing impatient. 

“Rin I need to get home.” he said.

“I know, a few more days okay.”

“Stay here tonight. Stay with me.” Haru requested.

Rin paused unsure on how he could. “I’ll try, It’s not easy to get away with.”

Haru pouted and swam off.

“Ningyo seems to like you. Want to do the evening feed and lock up?” The female trainer for Haru said.

“But I’m not qualified.” Rin pointed out. 

“See it as part of the experience of working here.” She said.

“Okay. I will do my very best.” Rin said with a bow.

The instructor explained all of the keys and Rin took special notice.

“How do I get out with the gates locked?” Rin asked

“This is the key to the back door, but you don’t know that.” the instructor said with a wink. Rin nodded.

Haru sang inside Rin’s head a triumphant song.

. . . . . .

Hours passed, painfully slowly. The aquarium shut and the instructor left. Rin sat at the edge of the pool, all they had to do now was wait till the sky went dark. Under the cover of night Rin would drive Haru to the beach and get him safely home.

Rin looked down and found Haru looking at him, leaning his arms against the edge of the side.

Haruka had seen hundreds of humans, but none as attractive as the one before him. “Swim with me.” Haru protected in Rin’s mind. Rin looked unsure. “Can’t you swim?” he asked.

“No it’s not that. What if I get caught?” 

“There’s no one to catch you.” Haru pointed out.

Rin slipped into the water with a smile treading water. Haru took his hand and pulled him under the water. They swam together till Rin had to get more breath.

Haru kissed him suddenly, Rin stared back at Haru. “Umm, sorry. I saw some of your people do it . . .” Haru apologised.

“No it’s . . . it was just a shock. And Haru . . .”

“Yeah.”

“You normally do it if you like someone.”

“But I do like you.”

“No but if you like like them.”

“But I do Rin. You’re the first human or merperson who was ever nice to me.”

“You don’t want to go home?”

Haru looked unsure. “I want to . . . but there’s not much for me there, but there’s nothing here either. . .”

“We can forget about it if you want to?”

“No! I need the ocean, the water calls to me.” Haruka hugged Rin and let his tail curl around Rin. Rin found the experience strange but still enjoyed it, he’d grown very attached to Haru. Both knew that they would miss the other . . . but they were from different worlds.

Rin looked down at Haru and kissed him. “We should get you home.”

. . . . . .

Twenty minutes later Rin and Haru were driving across town to the nearest beach. It wouldn’t be till morning till anyone found Haru missing, all Rin had to do was lay low for a while, they had a whole cover story about Haru and Rin getting kidnapped.

Rin parked and got out of the car. “Come on Haru, were here.” he announced.

“Umm Rin?” Haru said.

Rin opened the passenger door. “Ahhh. That could be a problem.” He said.

Haru’s legs had turned back into a tail. 

“Grab hold off me and I’ll carry you?” Rin suggested. He laughed as Haru put his arms around Rin’s neck. Rin picked up Haru carefully. “Ready?”

Haru nodded and Rin walked across the beach, he put Rin down at the edge of the water and took off his clothes. He picked Haru up again and walked into the ocean. 

Haru swam in delight under the bright moonlight, he was so happy to be free. Rin swam with him smiling; it was so nice seeing the merman smile. 

The sun was rising at the edge of the horizon and the pair watched the sky turn from black to a rainbow of colour all blending into each other.

“I’ll have to go soon.” Rin said.

“Stay with me, for a while at least?” Haru said.

“How can I? I won’t be able to breathe . . .”

Haru handed Rin a device. “Eat.” He said. “I’ve seen your world let me show you mine.”

Rin wasn’t sure. “I should hide away till the heat dies down, we can still follow the same plan. . .” Rin paused and Haru touched his arm affectionately “Haru I can’t stay forever, my home is on the surface.”

Haru nodded, he understood perfectly he just didn’t want it to be true.

Rin ate what appeared to be a stone and immediately he grew a tail and gills Rin had turned into a merman; his tail was red, gold and shimmered in the light of the sunrise.

“How long will this last?” Rin asked.

“One month by your land time.” Haruka said.

“Perfect.” 

Haru kissed Rin’s lips and led him under the water to where his home was. A month wouldn’t feel longer enough for either of them, but they would have to make the most of it.


End file.
